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ATTORNEY Sept. 24, 1946. 5.0. MCFARLANE PLAN FOLDING MACHINE Filed March11, 1944 EDWIN C.MFARLANE p 1946- E. c. M FARLANE PLAN FOLDING MACHINEFiled March 11, 1944 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR. EDW/N C. MS-FARLANEATTORNEY Patented Sept. 24, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLANFOLDING MACHINE Edwin C. McFarlane, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application March11, 1944, Serial No. 526,097

In industrial plants and in manufacturing and building operations largenumbers of plans frequently have to be handled. These are commonly inthe form of photostats or blueprints, some of which are of a size whichnecessitate that they be folded for convenience in filing. This work hasheretofore been done entirely by hand. In some plants the number ofplans made daily is so great that a large force is employed expresslyfor initially folding them after they come from theprinting machines,The work is tedious and when done by hand is seldom if ever uniform. I

The object of the present invention is to eliminate this manual work bythe provision of a machine which will satisfactorily perform the foldingoperations on plans in such an efiicient manner that one operator can dothe ,workwhich heretofor required a dozen or more persons to manuallyperform. 4

The machine of the present invention is so constituted that, whenoperated, it will manipulate plans into flat accordion folds, creased insuch manner as to retain folded condition when removed from the machineand to do this work in a uniform manner, so that they will properly fitinto the filing requirements of the plant.

In one of its practical forms, the machine of this invention comprisesan arcuate folding platform. A pair of parallel creasing bars overliethe platform in substantially parallel relation to the :2:

axis of its curvature and a pair of parallel folding bars are mounted tomove back and forth over the platform to carry successive portions of aplan from one creasing bar to the other, and vice versa, and to tuck theplan beneath said creasing bars in succession. The creasing bars arelifted in proper timed relation to the operations of the folding bars topermit the plan to be introduced beneath them, but are spring impelledin the directionof the platform, so that when released, they press theplan against the platform to form a fold therein and hold the alreadyfolded portion of the plan in position while the next fold is beingperformed.

The machine may be conveniently operated manually by a crank and afterone end of a plan has been fed into the machine, movement of the crankwill cause the machine to automatically manipulate the plan until it iscompletely folded.

The folded plan may then be removed and the next plan introduced andfolded in the same manner. Provision is made for adjusting the width ofthe fold to meet filing requirements and 3 Claims. U1. 270-'73) themachine is constructed to handle plans of 55 2 widely varying widthswithout adjustment as to width.

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to, will beapparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when readconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of the invention, butthe construction therein shown is to be understood as illustrative,only, and notas defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one form of the machine of thepresent invention.

Figure 2' is a fragmental view showing one of the creasing barsretracted to permit :a plan to he introduced betweensaid bar and thefolding platform.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but illustrating the creasingbar in normally active po sition.

Figure 4 is a fragmental elevation looking from the right hand side ofFigure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmental plan looking down on Figures 3 and 4.

Figure 6 is a vertical, longitudinal section through the machine shownin Figure 1 with the central portion of the machine broken away.

Figure 7 is a fragmental elevation looking from the right hand of Figure6 and showing the means for adjusting the length of the fold.

Figures 8, 9 and 10 are diagrammatic views showing successive positionsof the operating parts in folding a plan, with a fold of one particularlength.

Figure 11 is a like view showing adjustment of the parts to produce afold of a different length.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of a folded plan.

The machine as shown in the drawings comprises an arcuate foldingplatform I preferably, although not necessarily, curved on the arc of acircle to embody a substantially semi-cylindrical tubularstructure, theopposite ends of which are closed by end walls 2, It is convenient toprovide ends of the'machine are connected together by rods '1 and 5,respectively. These rods pass through brackets S' form ed on the undersides of creasing bars It and H. r The bar It) may be convenientlyreferred to as the left hand creasing bar and the bar I I, as the righthand creasing bar. These bars overlie the folding platform I and arefaced on their under sides with soft rubber strips I2 to better adaptthem to grip a plan between them and the folding platform.

The rubber facings of the bars are normally held in contact with thefolding platform by springs 83 coiled around the rods 1 and 8, with oneend of each spring hooked about theadjacent link or 6 and the other endof the spring hooked about the bracket 9 of the creasing bar, as bestshown in Figures 3-5 inclusive. The springs l3 are tensioned so as topermit the rubber facings to tightly grip the plan against the platformat all times save when the creasing bars are swung back on their pivotrods 1 or 8 for reasons presently to be explained. This disengagement ofthe creasing bars with the folding platform may be accomplished in twoways. First, by the opera- .tion of cam members l4 and I5 which arerigidly mounted at the opposite ends of the respective creasing bars orby means of releasing handles .l 6 and I! with which said bars areprovided. The releasing handles are pivotally secured to the respectivecreasing barsby means of pivot screws l8, positioned normal to the uppersurface of each bar, so .that the creasing bars may be selectivelydisengaged from the platform by graspin the handles It or and rockingthe bars upwardly on their pivot rods 1 or 8 against the tension of thesprings l3. When desired the creasing bars may be locked in these raisedor retracted positions by engaging the cupped inner end IQ of anenlargement 20, formed on each handle, with a u conical head rivet 2|carried by the outer end of each of the links 5 and 6, as shown inFigure 2.

The position of the creasing bars circumferentially of the foldingplatform is controlled by links 22 and 23. These links are secured bypivots 24 and 24 to intermediate portions of the links 5 and 6. Thisarrangement is duplicated at both endsof the machine. The outer ends ofthe links 22 and 23 are provided with stops '25 and 26, the purpose ofwhich will be presently explained, while the inner ends of said linksare connected to pivots 27 and 28 carried by adjusting disks 29 and 33positioned, respectively, at opposite ends of the machine.

The adjustin disks 29 and 3,0 are best shown in Figures 6 and '7. Theyare set into recesses 3| in the opposite end walls and are held in suchrecesses by a shaft 32 which extends entirely through the machine. Thisshaft is in the nature of a bolt, the head of which is formed by a key33 which extends through a slot in the shaft and is received in a slot34 in the disk 30, by virtue of which the disk is locked for rotationwith the shaft 32.

The other end of the shaft is locked to the disk 29 by a pin 35 passedthrough a hole in the shaft and projecting into a cross-axial slot 36 inthe disk 29. This end of the shaft is threaded and receives a nut 31.When the nut is loosened, an appropriate wrench may be introduced intoholes 38 in the disk 29 and this disk may be turned to simultaneouslyturn the disk 30 for the purpose of shifting the positions of the pivots21 and 28 and thus angularly adjusting the levers 5 and 6 in order toadjustthe creasing bars l0 and I I, so that they are closer together orfurther apart, according to the length of the fold desired. Figures8-10, inclusive, show the position of the pivots 2'! and 23 for aparticular length of fold, while Figure 11 shows the adjusting disk 29(and of course its companion 30) shifted appropriately to produce ashorter fold. It will of course be understood that normally the nut 31is tightened, so as to produce sufiicient friction between the adjustingdisks and the cavities 3| in which they are contained, to precludeinadvertent shifting of these disks and that the nut is only loosenedwhen a change of adjustment is desired.

Positioned at each of the opposite ends of the machine are twoupstanding folding bar carrying arms 39 and 40. posite ends of themachine are both fixed at their lower ends to a rock shaft 4| whichpasses directly through the machine, so that when the rock shaft isoscillated by a crank 42 also secured .to said shaft, both of the arms39 will be simultaneously oscillated about the axis of said shaft.

The arms 40 at the opposite ends of the machine maybe likewise securedtogether, but this is not necessary and in practice they are merelysecured by pivots 42 to the end walls of the machine.

On the upper ends of the arms 39 and 40 are eyelets through which arepassed a pair of parallel rods which pass externally of the eyeletsthrough spacing blocks 43 and are headed over as shown .at 44. On theserods are mounted folding bars 45 and 45 which are provided at theiropposite ends with cam operating rollers 4'! and 48. These rollers areadjacent the inner faces of the eyelets on the upper .endsof the arms 39and 4B and are spaced apart for cooperation with the cam members l4 andI5, as will be presently explained. For convenient reference the foldingbar 45 may be termed the left hand folding bar 7 and the bar 45, theright hand folding bar.

In the drawings the spacing blocks 43 are shown 3 invention. Theessential criterion is that: When 7 the parallel folding bars 45 and 46conjointly move to the left in Figure 1, under the impulse of the crank42, the rollers 48 of the right hand folding bar 46 will engage with theunderv sides of the cams i4 and retract the left hand creasing bar I!)to permit the folding bar 43 to move into a position beneath thecreasing bar ID, i. e., between said creasing bar and the platform, asshown in Figure 10, and when the folding bars move to the right inFigure 1, under the impulse of the crank, the rollers 41 of the lefthand folding bar 45 will engage with the under side of the cams l5 ofthe right hand creasing bar II and retract the latter, so that thefolding bar 45 may move into a position beneath said right hand creasingbar I I, i. e., between said creasing bar and the platform, as shown inFigure 9. It'is by virtue of these operations that the folding of a planis accomplished,

The machine operates in the following manner: The plan, designated P inFigures 8-10, is threaded between the folding bar 45 and 45, as shown inFigure 8, and the forward end of the plan is placed beneath the rubberfacing of the left hand creasing bar l9. During this operation, thehandle I6 i manipulated in the manner described, to retract the rubberfacing of this creasing bar, so that the end portion of the plan can beintroduced between the rubber facing and the folding platform. When thuspositioned the handle is released, so that the end of the plan isgripped against the platform. The parts are then in thepositions shownin Figure 8 The arms 39 at the op- If the main operating handle 42 isnow oscillated in a clockwise direction, the folding bars will move tothe right until the rollers 47 of the left hand folding bar 45 engageswith the cams l5 whereupon further movement of the folding bars in thesame direction will cause the right hand creasing bar to be retracted topermit the left hand folding bar 45 to tuck the plan beneath thecreasing bar II, as shown in Figure 9.

If the handle is now oscillated to the left in a counterclockwisedirection, the roller 41 will release the right hand creasing bar I land permit it to drop down under the tension of spring l3 on to theplan, thereby forming the subjacent loop in the plan into a crease andtightly gripping the plan while the handle continues to move to theleft. During the movement of the handle to the left the folding bar 46will feed the plan back across the surface of the folding platform untilthe rollers 48 engage with the cam l4, retract the latter and allow theright hand folding bar 46 to tuck the plan beneath the left handcreasing bar Ell, as shown in Figure 10. The handle 42 is thereuponagain moved to the right and the operations described are repeated asthe handle is moved back and forth to feed successive portions of theplan back and forth across the platform in superimposed relation. Therollers 4'! and 48 will retract the creasing bars as the handleapproaches the termini of its travel, and as these rollers leave therespective cams, the looped portions of the plan will be creased, sothat by the time the handle has been operated sufiiciently to feed allof the plan across the platform, the folding of such plan will becomplete and the planin finished folded condition will be in the grip ofthe two creasing bars. It may be released from said bars by operatingthe handles I! in the manner hereinbefore described, whereupon the planmay be lifted off of the machine and a new .plan introduced forrepetition of the operations hereinbefore described, to accomplish thefolding of the same.

The stops 25 and 26 to which I have referred are to preclude overtravelof the arms 39 and 4!! in opposite directions, as indicated in Figures 9and 10. These stops are preferably faced with rubber, so that whencontacted by the arms no noise will result.

The machine of this invention may be operated at considerable speed. Inpractice it is not uncommon for experienced operators to fold plans 30"wide and 10 ft. long in less than 20 seconds. Such manipulation of plansis impossible by the old hand method. In fact, the machine of thisinvention can accomplish over any particular period of time more workand do it more satisfactorily, than could be accomplished by many handoperators, and the product is a uniform product.

In the foregoing detailed description I have set forth the invention asit has been marketed. I am aware, however, that certain modificationsmay be made without departing from the basic concept of the invention,the scope of which is to be understood as fully commensurate with theappended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A plan folding machine comprising: a folding platform, right hand andleft hand creasing bars extending transversely of said platform andnormally impelled into contact therewith, right hand and left handfolding bars arranged in parallel relation to one another and to thecreasing bars, means for mounting said folding bars for conjointmovement back and forth over the platform in a direction normal to boththe creasing and folding bars to alternately bring the left hand foldingbar between the right hand creasing bar and the platform and the righthand folding bar between the left hand creasing bar and the platform,means for. s0 moving said folding bars, cam members associated with thecreasing bars, and rollers movable with the folding bars to lift thecreasing bars from engagement with the platform and permit such foldingbars to enter between said creasing bars and the platform.

2. A plan folding machine comprising: a substantially semi-cylindricalhousing the curvilinear surface of which constitutes a folding platform,carrier links pivoted to the opposite ends of the housing substantiallyconcentric with the curvature of the platform, right and left handcreasing bars pivoted to said carrier links with springs bearing againstthe creasing bars to normally impel them toward said platform, right andleft hand folding bars connected for conjoint operation and parallel toone another and to the creasing bars and individually mounted on theopposite ends of the housing for pivotal movement back and forth overthe platform in a direction normal to both themselves and the creasingbars to alternately bring the left hand folding bar between the righthand creasing bar and the platform and the right hands folding barbetween the left hand creasing bar and the platform, means for so movingsaid folding bars, adjusting links connecting the carrier links toadjusting means at the opposite ends of the housing for varying thedistance between the creasing bars, and stops on the adjusting links tolimit the movement of the folding bars according to the positions of thecreasing bars.

3. A plan folding machine comprising: a substantially semi-cylindricalhousing the curvilinear surface of which constitutes a folding platform,carrier links pivoted to the opposite ends of the housing substantiallyconcentric with the curvature of the platform, right and left handcreasing bars pivoted to said carrier links, right and left hand foldingbars connected for conjoint operation and parallel to one another and tothe creasing bars and individually mounted on the opposite ends of thehousing for pivotal movement back and forth over the platform in adirection normal to both themselves and the creasing bars to alternatelybring the left hand folding bar between the right hand creasing bar andthe platform and the right hand folding bar between the left handcreasing bar and the platform, means for so moving said folding bars,and adjusting means common to both the creasing and folding bars forvarying the distance between the creasing bars and also limiting themovement of the folding bars accordingly.

EDWIN C. MCFARLANE.

